I’ll admit it. Throughout most of high school, I was a strategic learner. I did all of my work in the classroom in hopes of achieving good grades. I took pride in praise from my teachers and parents when I got high marks on tests or projects. In the beginning, I saw school as a game to beat. Learn the information the teacher wants you to learn for the test. Ace it. Forget the information immediately after the test. Repeat this process for four years until you graduate. I feel that students, are in a way conditioned to become strategic learners. When the importance of testing and graduation requirements is emphasized in the classroom, many students see no other goal than getting good grades in order to graduate. The real purpose of learning is blurred as students are taught to the test and aim for good grades and a high class rank. It wasn’t until my upperclassmen years in high school that I realized there was much more importance than ranking in the top ten of the class. Of course I was proud when I graduated as number six, but I took more pride in what I learned along the way to get me there.
Going into my college years, I’ve realized that I want to become a deep learner. In Bain’s article, he states that deep learners “wanted to understand the meaning behind the text and to think about its implications and applications, to search for arguments, and to distinguish between supporting evidence and conclusions” (Bain 36). As Bain says, it’s crucial to not only memorize the information you are given, but to really process what it means and be able to form your own opinions on it. Being a deep learner means challenging what you’re told and connecting it to your prior knowledge. I’ve noticed that I execute deep learning strategies more in classes that I’m interested in. For instance, in my junior history class, I was fascinated by the course material we learned. My teacher really made the history come alive, and I found myself making inferences and asking questions wanting to know more. Not only did I ask what, but I asked “why?” I developed a yearning to further understand the bigger concepts, and enjoyed the moment when I would make a connection or apply a new piece of knowledge to an old one. My senior English class also helped me see the importance of being a deep learner. Instead of just reading the assigned books for the sake of passing a quiz, I wanted to search for the deeper meanings the author hid in the text. English is my passion, which is why I wanted to gain a better understanding of the subject and the material we discussed in class. Now that I’m in college, many of the courses I’m taking pertain to the career I seek to have in the future.
A few nights ago, I was completing an online assignment for my required psychology class. This assignment included reading a lengthy chapter that explains the key concepts of psychology, followed by a short comprehension quiz. As I began this assignment late at night after a busy day of school and work, I found myself fatigued and wanting nothing more than to go to sleep. It would be much easier to simply search for the answers to the quiz in the book and be done with it. As I was giving half of my effort on the quiz, something inside of me clicked. I knew that if I skimmed through the reading for the answers without really understanding the concepts, I was only hurting myself. Some of the ideas discussed in the chapter are key to understanding the way children think and learn, which will be of much importance as a future teacher. I no longer look at school as a system in which good grades mean success. I want to become a deep learner and better myself as a student and person. Reading about Cedric’s college experience makes me think back to my own freshman year of college. Initially, Cedric found himself struggling to relate with other students. While this was due to differences in lifestyle and culture, I also found myself having a hard time making connections. It was my first time living away from home as well, being two hours away in New Hampshire. I didn’t form as many friendships as I hoped, which had a negative effect on the rest of my experience at the school. This, along with many other factors, eventually led to my decision to transfer. One year later, I’m happy I made the choice that I did. In the end, I look at it as a learning experience. It was great exposure to life away from home, and I certainly gained a lot of independence and developed personal values. I think that taking risks and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone both inside and outside of school is the best way to learn.
Now that I’m back home, I’m enrolled in courses that have sparked my passion for becoming a teacher. Relating my experiences to other students and professors has made me even surer of my future career choice. Again, I’ll admit it. I probably won’t be a deep learner in all of my courses. There are always going to be classes where students just can’t find a way to relate to the subject matter, or simply don’t have the time to apply deep learning strategies. I have, however, realized that being a deep learner will help me further grow as a student and future educator, making me look forward to the next three years of college.
Going into my college years, I’ve realized that I want to become a deep learner. In Bain’s article, he states that deep learners “wanted to understand the meaning behind the text and to think about its implications and applications, to search for arguments, and to distinguish between supporting evidence and conclusions” (Bain 36). As Bain says, it’s crucial to not only memorize the information you are given, but to really process what it means and be able to form your own opinions on it. Being a deep learner means challenging what you’re told and connecting it to your prior knowledge. I’ve noticed that I execute deep learning strategies more in classes that I’m interested in. For instance, in my junior history class, I was fascinated by the course material we learned. My teacher really made the history come alive, and I found myself making inferences and asking questions wanting to know more. Not only did I ask what, but I asked “why?” I developed a yearning to further understand the bigger concepts, and enjoyed the moment when I would make a connection or apply a new piece of knowledge to an old one. My senior English class also helped me see the importance of being a deep learner. Instead of just reading the assigned books for the sake of passing a quiz, I wanted to search for the deeper meanings the author hid in the text. English is my passion, which is why I wanted to gain a better understanding of the subject and the material we discussed in class. Now that I’m in college, many of the courses I’m taking pertain to the career I seek to have in the future.
A few nights ago, I was completing an online assignment for my required psychology class. This assignment included reading a lengthy chapter that explains the key concepts of psychology, followed by a short comprehension quiz. As I began this assignment late at night after a busy day of school and work, I found myself fatigued and wanting nothing more than to go to sleep. It would be much easier to simply search for the answers to the quiz in the book and be done with it. As I was giving half of my effort on the quiz, something inside of me clicked. I knew that if I skimmed through the reading for the answers without really understanding the concepts, I was only hurting myself. Some of the ideas discussed in the chapter are key to understanding the way children think and learn, which will be of much importance as a future teacher. I no longer look at school as a system in which good grades mean success. I want to become a deep learner and better myself as a student and person.
Reading about Cedric’s college experience makes me think back to my own freshman year of college. Initially, Cedric found himself struggling to relate with other students. While this was due to differences in lifestyle and culture, I also found myself having a hard time making connections. It was my first time living away from home as well, being two hours away in New Hampshire. I didn’t form as many friendships as I hoped, which had a negative effect on the rest of my experience at the school. This, along with many other factors, eventually led to my decision to transfer. One year later, I’m happy I made the choice that I did. In the end, I look at it as a learning experience. It was great exposure to life away from home, and I certainly gained a lot of independence and developed personal values. I think that taking risks and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone both inside and outside of school is the best way to learn.
Now that I’m back home, I’m enrolled in courses that have sparked my passion for becoming a teacher. Relating my experiences to other students and professors has made me even surer of my future career choice. Again, I’ll admit it. I probably won’t be a deep learner in all of my courses. There are always going to be classes where students just can’t find a way to relate to the subject matter, or simply don’t have the time to apply deep learning strategies. I have, however, realized that being a deep learner will help me further grow as a student and future educator, making me look forward to the next three years of college.